Mick McCarthy has highlighted Burnley's impressive Carling Cup heroics as a guide to the test in store for Wolves at Turf Moor tomorrow.
Wolves boast a decent record at the ground in recent years, having won on their last three visits, but the boss knows that offers absolutely no guarantees against the current Clarets side who knocked out Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal enroute to a titanic two-legged battle with Tottenham in the Carling Cup semi finals.
Having been beaten 4-1 at White Hart Lane, a majestic performance in the return leg saw Burnley win 3-0 over the 90 minutes to take the game to extra time before Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jermain Defoe sealed Spurs' passage to Wembley.
"Burnley are a good side with some good, experienced players," said Mick.
"They had a fantastic run in the Carling Cup and were very unfortunate in not going through against Tottenham after a fantastic second leg performance.
"They only got beaten by a fabulous goal from a £12million striker.
"They play good football as well, there's no bashing it up to the frontmen and then trying to strangle the game.
"As well as some good individuals there's also a real team work ethic
"Their fitness levels have been impressive and epitomised by Graham Alexander who I think has played every minute of every game at 37 years of age.
"I think that epitomises the work ethic that Owen Coyle has got there."
Neither team fare too favourably in the Championship form guide, with Wolves 18th over the last six games and Burnley 20th.
Wolves however still top the Championship, and the boss believes that some more defensive solidity is what's required to improve on the recent run of one win in eight.
"We want to get back to winning ways of course we all do," he added.
"But we have to earn that, it doesn't come through anything other than playing well and not conceding goals
"If we concede the goals that we've conceded like at Blackpool and Bristol City, the third having got back in front against Norwich and then again at Coventry then it won't happen.
"We've actually been looking comfortable in away games when we've been in front but have conceded in ways we shouldn't have done.
"There have been errors, and I'm looking for us to defend better and keep a clean sheet because we score goals.
"We score more than anybody else but there are only a few in the league that have conceded less.
"Of course there aren't any of us that are infallible and don't make mistakes,
"People sometimes say as a former defender I must be pulling my hair out when I see mistakes.
"But I made mistakes as a defender as well, I just didn't make the same one twice in a season."
Mick has no fresh injury worries for tomorrow with both Christophe Berra and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake recovered from the stomach bug that affected them during the course of last weekend.
But keeper Carl Ikeme is still a few weeks away from returning to availability due to his back injury.
"Carl's scan showed up a hotspot on his back so it's going to be a few weeks yet," said Mick.
"He just needs some rest and treatment.
"It's taken a while because of the circumstances but nobody likes to be injured.
"He'll be really disappointed because he's done very well this season."
